Town Mayor visits Vimy
Former Horley Town Mayor, Richard Olliver, visited Vimy on 7 and 8 May 2016, along with members of the Horley-Vimy Twinning Association. The main purpose was to commemorate the 25th Anniversa
ry of the founding of the Twinning Association and to mark Victory 1945 Day close to the Battle of Vimy Ridge, the site of an important First World War battlefield where many Canadians lost their lives. Cllr Olliver laid a wreath at the War Memorial and is pictured with The Maire of Vimy, M Jacques Lariviere.
Vimy is a small town between Lens and Arras in the Pas de Calais region, with a population of around 4,600. It is a little quieter than Horley and is primarily a farming town. It is situated at the foot of the Vimy Ridge, the site of an important First World War battlefield. There is an impressive monument there and a museum. The woods surrounding them contain many bomb craters and bunkers and some of the original trenches showing very clearly how close the front lines were.
Vimy has a typical French Mairie (town hall) overlooking a small square in the centre of the town, which holds a regular market. Nearby is the pretty and historical town of Arras. Other towns in close proximity are Lens, and Vendin le Vieil.
